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the present progressive with future meaning

Town may criminalize online harassment
...
"If people catch people in a transgression, increasingly they're posting their personal information online," he said. "It's bring back a kind of mob justice, a posse that is very troubling."
...

I've learned that the present progresive may be used to express future time when the idea of the sentece concerns a planned event or definite intention.
'they are posting..." must has a future meaning, but it seems to not be related with a planned event. Does it come from definite intention? (Actually, definite intention is a sort of abract to me) If so, could you explain with more examples?

Re: the present progressive with future meaning

Forget the tenses! Go for the senses.
The meaning is that when a person is caught performing an action the viewer does not like then the viewer publishes the persons identity so that others may also respond.
In old western movies when someone was seen to be doing the wrong thing some citizen would gather as many people as possible and confront the wrongdoer. This often ended in the wrongdoer being "lynched" - hung without trail. Sort of like stoning anyone you don't like.

Last edited by oregeezer; 24-Nov-2007 at 08:41.
Reason: dropped letter

Re: the present progressive with future meaning

Would you explain easier way? (:

Originally Posted by oregeezer

Forget the tenses! Go for the senses.
The meaning is that when a person is caught performing an action the viewer does not like then the viewer publishes the persons identity so that others may also respond.
In old western movies when someone was seen to be doing the wrong thing some citizen would gather as many people as possible and confront the wrongdoer. This often ended in the wrongdoer being "lynched" - hung without trail. Sort of like stoning anyone you don't like.